tmntshredder

Check your settings on the mix of our FX loop block or return block. It sounds like you may have it set below 100%, which will cause issues.

How are you trying to use MIDI? In bank mode or stomp box mode?

I'm really interested in the Firehawk 1500. From what I understand, it's stereo, has Bluetooth, is FRFR, and additionally has the onboard modeling as a backup. It also actually looks like an amp, which is a huge advantage to me. Other than the weight difference, what advantages do the Stagesource speakers have?

Thanks for the info...very helpful!

No, I was not using patches that I dialed in with my amp. These were patches that I created while using a powered speaker (Harbinger V2112). I didn't exactly buy the speaker for this purpose, so I'm sure that it's a very poor representation. It sounded awful nonetheless.

I really do love my amp, but like everyone else, I hate moving it. The idea of carrying everything or almost everything in one trip is extremely appealing. To answer your question, I want the best sounding, most versatile rig that I can have. I'm not worried about playing multiple instruments through it, as I probably would rarely if ever run an acoustic through it anyway. I play in a couple of cover bands, so versatility is very important to me. I simply want the amp models to sound the best that they possibly can...whether it's through my amp or an FRFR.

Did you compare the 115 to the 112 or the 110? Just curious as I've seen that a lot of guys have the 110's.

The Alto TS112 was one of the lower cost options that I was considering. I have a pair of Harbinger V2112's, but the Helix sounds awful through them. In fact, it's so bad that I wouldn't even consider practicing with it. The Alto is in the same price range, but I've read a lot of good things about it. Good to hear that you like yours.

Thank you guys for all of the replies! I think maybe what I need to do is go with something that I can pick up for a relatively low cost before I make the decision to ditch the amp. Hopefully that will give me an idea of what I can expect from something more expensive.

Yes, I was using patches set up for PA speakers. I tried Glen DeLaune's, several of the factory, an some of my own.

I have some powered speakers and hooked it up to one of them a couple of weeks ago. It didn't sound good to me, but they are cheap speakers (Harbingers). I've considered trading one of them off for an Alto TS or Mackie Thump to test the waters, but I wonder about the experience that I would even have with one of these. I would much rather just spend the money and be done, but I'd have to sell my amp for that purchase. That's my dilemma.

I've had the Helix for a few months now, and I have been running it 4cm with my 5150 III. I am getting lots of great tones out of it this way, but I am now on the fence about ditching the amp and buying a quality FRFR. My hang ups are the awkwardness of not having an actual amp and not knowing what to expect tone wise from one of these speakers. I know the convenience benefits of eliminating the amp, but I need to know if an FRFR is going to make the Helix sound better than my current set up. I will gladly continue to transport my amp and have the benefits of both it and the Helix if 4cm tones are comparable to FRFR tones. However, if an FRFR is going to open up the Helix and make it even better than it is now, then I would probably sell the amp. Anybody have any advice?

With 4cm it is extremely important that you make sure that Helix is at unity gain with your amp. With my amp, I have the big volume knob maxed, and I roll off the return level -3db. It's also important to know if your amp's effects loop is instrument or line, as this determines your setting for the 1/4" out in global settings. Make sure that your effects loop is set to instrument though, as this is the output that goes to the front of your amp. All of the amp models are going to be set by default to extremely high volumes (at least with the big volume knob maxed). I simply adjust the volume within the amp model. I roll off the bass frequencies at 90 and the treble at 6 with the master eq per the advice of others on this forum. In regards to difficulty of set up, just make yourself a snake and label the ends according to where they get plugged in, and it should only add 30 seconds to your time. To me the amp models lose all of their character by using the preamp models. By using full amp models and making sure everything is set up correctly, I've been able to get some great tones out of the Helix. Now the question is whether or not to ditch the amp and go all in with a quality FRFR.

Something that happened to me was that I was trying to login with my email address instead of my user ID. Took me a couple of minutes to figure it out.

I've been thinking about one of these as well. I'm currently running 4cm with my 5150 III and getting some great tones out of the Helix that way. I love my amp, but I can't help wondering how much of the Helix's true potential I'm missing out on by not running it with an FRFR speaker. Things I'm thinking about now are either a low cost option (such as an Alto or Mackie) or ditching the amp and going all in with something like an L3M. I have admit that I'm very hesitant to go without an amp, but if Helix can get comparable tones with a proper speaker, I would invest the money in a high quality FRFR. Does anybody have any advice?

The return has to be set at 100% for 4cm. You will have phase issues if not, which is the "plastic" sound that you describe.

I like the full amp models MUCH better. Maybe it's different depending on your amp, but the preamps just don't sound good to me.

Good info...why the 3db cut on the loop return? Is it because your effects loop is line level and Helix is set to instrument?

Helix is very transparent with little to no tone loss. It sounds great in 4cm and has lots of amazing effects. While FRFR is your best option for use with the amp models, there are plenty of great tones to be had running through your amp and speaker cabinet. Not sure you will need your mini amp gizmo with Helix as it has external amp switching built in. It doesn't work with all amp though, so you will want to see if your amp in compatible. Mine isn't, but I use MIDI.

Both actually. If I switch within a preset the popping is there. I do run the full amp models though, not the preamps. I think the full models sound way better.

I'm not sure if anyone has posted about this in the past, but I am experiencing a popping noise when I switch amp models within a preset. This only occurs when I'm in stomp mode, not when I'm switching from one preset to the next. With the delay in preset switching, the problem makes live use difficult. I'm running Helix in 4cm with a 5150III. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

You definitely want to have a different program number assigned to each thing you want the amp to do. For example, program 1 could be something like channel 1 with boost active. You would then need to have another program, be it program 2 or whatever works for you, for channel 1 with boost inactive. Remember, you've already set the amp up to make changes when you call up certain presets. If you try to use the program number that corresponds with the preset change, the amp is going to change to whatever is previously stored. Also, make sure that you press the switch that you are assigning the midi command to after you have everything set up in the Helix. This will send the midi command to the amp so it can learn it. Based on what you are telling me about the amp, it sounds like you would then press the save toggle on the amp to save the change.

Not necessarily. I'm guessing you can put your amp into a learning mode of some kind. You should be able to set the configuration you want on the amp and send the program change message that you want to coincide with that setup from the Helix. All of this can be set up in the command center, but you will have to send a bank/prog command, not a midi cc command. Try this: Go into the command center and select the footswitch that you want to use. Choose bank/prog for the command and midi ch 1. Bank cc00 and bank cc32 should be left turned off. Chose whatever program value that you want to correspond with this command. Keep in mind that whatever you have set up thus far will have a program value assigned to it already. For instance, if you've set up a program change to occur when you select bank 1, then the program change value for that will be 0, followed by 1 for bank 2, etc. Select a value not already in use. Set your amp how you want it and set it to learn that message. I hope this helps, because I know how frustrating it can be.

I'm wondering the same thing. I bought the patches yesterday. They are amazing, but I had to manually change all of the amp models to remove the cabs since I'm using Helix with 4cm. It's interesting because his video said that they sounded great in any setup including 4cm and the front of an amp. Running a simulated cab into a 412 just doesn't sound right to me.

A couple of questions for you...what kind of amp are you using? Also, how are you setting this up in the command center? My amp only responds to program change commands, and it took me a while to figure it out.